4 Keys to Business Success – Grandma Said

4 keys to business success!

My Grandmother actually passed away in 1920! So, you may be wondering how I learned anything from her, and perhaps more amazing that I learned something from her YESTERDAY!

No, it wasn’t a ghostly visit!

I recently received a couple of boxes of things that my Mother had saved. In one of the boxes I found a notebook that my Grandmother used to record minutes from the “Wednesday Afternoon Club” of which she was Secretary/Treasurer. In reading the minutes that she recorded from February 9, 1916 to November 6, 1917 I learned things I never knew about my Grandmother, plus I am excited to share that I think she had the skills that would have made her an excellent business person in our time! I will share the 4 keys to business success that I found in those minutes a little later in this post.

My story regarding my Grandmother –

Grandma's Minutes

Grandma was very young when she died. Her death was a complication which developed at the birth of my Mother. I have always thought of her as my Mother’s Mother and not personally as my Grandmother because obviously I didn’t have a relationship with her. Plus, Mom didn’t have any memories of my Grandmother to share. My knowledge of my Grandmother was limited to her name and a picture of her that always hung on my Mom’s bedroom wall. (This picture now hangs on my wall.) We think it was taken for her graduation from high school. It is interesting to finally have some connection with my Grandma. I’ve learned that her handwriting is similar to my sister’s. Amazing how such similarities are passed through the genes! I learned in the reading of these pages of minutes that my Grandmother had a dry sense of humor. Ah, so that’s where I got it! I learned that her children, Grace and Billy were typical. She didn’t write about them in the minutes. However, on these pages I discovered that they apparently found the notebook and scribbled or drew their own “minutes.” Did they get in trouble? Or, did Grandma simply take the book away and give them their own paper to write on? Another amazing thing to me is that Grandma was Secretary/Treasurer of a club. My Mom was an executive secretary and I was an executive administrator. All three of us had similar traits and interests.

Here are the 4 keys to business success that I think Grandma knew:

1. Be Consistent – She consistently attended the meetings of the Wednesday Afternoon Club. I know this because each page of minutes begins with identifying which meeting it was – the 1st, 2nd . . . 34th etc. Are you consistent in your business. Do you “show up” on a regular basis and perform your duties? Being consistent is one of the keys to business success.

2. Take Responsibility – she took responsibility for what was in the minutes. Each page was signed “. Secy E. F. R” In what ways do you take responsibility for what happens in your business? You are in control. That is one of the reasons that we pursue our own businesses. Taking responsibility is one of the determining factors for the success of your business.

3. Be Appreciative – She noted in each page of the minutes that the refreshments were enjoyed by all. This was worded differently yet expressed in some way for each meeting. Expressing appreciation for your clients, customers, mentors and coaches will draw them to you. Do you appreciate your fan base and followers? One of the keys to business success is appreciation.

4. Pay Attention to detail – She often inserted information that was missing from the minutes. That tells me that she reviewed what she had written before putting her signature on it. Are you making sure that your brand is clear and consistent in all the ways that you market and appear online? Your branding is one of the biggest keys to business success. Your brand separates you from the crowd. It is possibly the most important detail to which you give your attention.

So, I think my Grandmother would have been an excellent internet marketer.

Do you have these traits?

Be consistent, take responsibility, be appreciative and pay attention to detail.

These 4 keys to business success are just a few of the traits that make for success online.

However, isn’t it cool that they came from reading a book of minutes recorded so long ago?

Please feel free to comment below and share keys to business success that you may have learned from people in your life.